This year I am spending Christmas in a small village in Kampot, Cambodia. The days here average somewhere in the 80s, with a humidity level nearly as high. On Christmas morning my team and I got a ride to the next town over so that we could get wifi at a coffee shop, because there isn’t any wifi (or air conditioning) anywhere closer.
Christmas looks a little different for me this year.
This year I won’t be surrounded by my family, or decorate a Christmas tree.
I won’t bake any cookies, or light candles at a Christmas Eve service.
I won’t wear matching pajamas, or watch movies on the couch.
I won’t be doing anything familiar.
But this the year the Lord has given me so many new things in place of what I feel like I’m missing.
Like the sweltering heat and crippling humidity, and the chickens that live in our kitchen, and our rat dog that doesn’t actually catch rats, and the little market that never has quite everything we want. He has given me rowdy classrooms, bugs (so many bugs), bumpy car rides, and soccer fields that are full of holes.
He has given me eyes to see these things as gifts, to see these moments as precious and fleeting. He has given me the ability to laugh at the hard things and rejoice in spite of my circumstances. He has given me the opportunity to be present and with Him. He has given me His shoulder to cry on and He has been a friend to laugh with in the good times.
This is not a season of lack or of wanting. This is a season of fullness, despite the things that I’m missing.
Jesus gave everything up when He came to earth. He had been living in perfect unity with God in Heaven and He gave that up for a human body. He did this so that through His time on earth, He could spend eternity with us. He gave up Heaven, knowing that He was trading it for a cross.
How small is everything I give up in comparison to that… It’s absolutely incomparable.
But God is a good God, and He knows that this is still hard for me. He sees my sacrifice as a sacrifice, even if it doesn’t compare to His.
This year I get to choose Jesus over everything. Over home, and friends, and family. This Christmas I get to choose Jesus over what is easy and familiar and comfortable. We all get the option to choose those things, everyday.
A few days ago I was able to pray with two women to receive Christ for the first time. I was able to see Jesus change eternity for two women this week. This is not a story of the great things I have done, but the great things that Jesus is doing here, and has been doing here for a long time. He is bringing restoration and life, that’s a greater picture of why Jesus came to earth than I could have ever get watching Hallmark movies curled up on the couch back home.
While I first thought that I’d be missing out on Christmas while on the Race, I’ve actually gotten to celebrate Christmas 3 times so far.
Once, during my time in Vietnam. My team and I partnered with a church to host a gigantic Christmas play. Our whole month was dedicated to celebrating Christmas and the reason behind it. 4 people accepted Jesus because of it, it was amazing.
Again this month, on the 22nd, the Church here hosted an insane Christmas event for the local kids, some of whom learned about Jesus for the first time. We got to dance and sing and open presents with the kids, it was pretty cool.
And today, December 25th. Right now I’m sitting in a coffee shop, enjoying some AC and talking to family. Later today I will get to go to a potluck with my host and the church here to just have fellowship with one another and celebrate baby Jesus.
I gave up one Christmas and got 3 in return. God’s economy is pretty funny like that.
So- Merry Christmas ya’ll!
I am so thankful for all of your love and for the fact that I have such a wonderful home that is so hard to be away from.
Jesus came to earth as a baby so that He could save the women I met the other day. He came for you and for me and for your neighbor and for everyone. He came to give us life and life more abundantly.
This year, I’m learning what it means to live in that.
Much Love,
Morgan
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